Mercer @ Furman, 3/2

[Paladin83]

Very disappointing year! First time in years we didn’t improve as the year went on. Arguably, we are playing our worst ball (at full strength) going into the tournament. Hope I’m wrong, but I can’t see this team playing consistently enough to win three games against higher seeds.

[MidlandsPaladin]

Western gonna win. At least it won’t be Woffy ending our season.

[Paladin91]

Just another lackluster performance. We are unfortunately a streaky 3 point shooting team that can hit a cutter on the mismatch from time to time. Our achilles is zero inside game and no mid range game. We just seem like a slow team this year with little flow to the offfense. Whitt hardly got any playing time today. Offensively he is the biggest playmaker next to Pegues, but he is very prone to careless turnovers. I hope this team can put a run together in the tournament, but as Paul C said, there are a lot of teams that are just better than us.

[Sad Din]

CBR was beside himself in postgame. Very dissappointed

[Davemeister]

CBR was beside himself in postgame. Very dissappointed

Like the rest of us.

[FurmAlum]

If somebody would have told me at the beginning of the season that we would have gotten swept by Mercer I would have said they were crazy. But the bottom line is they just outplayed us today.

For whatever reason both Whitt and Williams have gotten in the coach's doghouse and have underperformed the last part of the season. Hien and Hughey are in and out of the game so much it's hard for either to establish any rhythm. I'm all for Bowser getting more playing time but something is just not clicking. Maybe trying to play too many players?

We can't make a shot the first 10 minutes of most games. Seems to me we were getting decent shots.

I'm grasping at straws. This team is out of sync and I don't know what the answer is.

[furpop16]

Very disappointing year! First time in years we didn’t improve as the year went on.

I found where Jackal & I had addressed this almost exactly a year ago.

I'm feeling now like the streak may have ended.

One notable thing is that Furman has been able to replace all of the "how are we going to replace x" players. Next man will ready.

Yep:
We were able to replace Croone when he graduated in 2016
We were able to replace Acox when he graduated in 2017
We were able to replace JDIII, Fowler, Sibley, & Beans when they graduated in 2018
We were able to replace Rafferty & Brown when they graduated in 2019
We were able to replace Lyons when he graduated in 2020
We were able to replace Mounce & Gurley when they graduated in 2021
We were able to replace Hunter & Garrison when they graduated in 2022

We'll be able to replace Bothwell & Slawson when they graduate this year. Onward!

[MidlandsPaladin]

I'm grasping at straws. This team is out of sync and I don't know what the answer is.

It sounds from the postgame that CBR is right there with you. Not very encouraging.

[purplehorse123]

We certainly could win it all in tourney but more likely one & done. Just not in sync, no mojo, no offensive rhythm, weak interior presence both ways etc.

[Paladin91]

If somebody would have told me at the beginning of the season that we would have gotten swept by Mercer I would have said they were crazy. But the bottom line is they just outplayed us today.

For whatever reason both Whitt and Williams have gotten in the coach's doghouse and have underperformed the last part of the season. Hien and Hughey are in and out of the game so much it's hard for either to establish any rhythm. I'm all for Bowser getting more playing time but something is just not clicking. Maybe trying to play too many players?

We can't make a shot the first 10 minutes of most games. Seems to me we were getting decent shots.

I'm grasping at straws. This team is out of sync and I don't know what the answer is.

Good assessment. There just seems to be an overall lack of energy and cohesiveness on the court. The first score by a cutting Hien was a set play and probably as good as it got all game minus an alley oop to Bowser. I feel like there is too much pressure on Pegues. Foster and PJ have been more off than on lately. Many opposing teams are playing our guards tight, not letting them get good 3s because they know we are no threat inside due to our lack of size. If we have this same team coming back next year, I honestly can’t say we will be any better at this stage. If Foster and Hien move on, I can see Bowser and Hughey playing a bigger role next year and perhaps we get one or two quality HS kids or immediate impact transfers.

[furpop16]

IIRC in previous years, CBR often referred to the "leadership team" of captains & senior players. This year, though, I don't recall him ever making a similar reference. Do we even have any player leadership on this team? That may be part of the problem.

[saltyshaker]

very disappointed in the development of this team.doubt seriously we can flip the script to win the tourny but it isn't over till it's over.i think wcu will be a tough 1st rough match.would have preferred wofford.we never really established a regular consistent rotation.
nonetheless i am hoping for a miracle in asheville and will be watching and cheering for the paladins.

[MidlandsPaladin]

Got a commemorative ticket from last game in Timmons I’m willing to part with. Make me an offer.

[Roundball]

Glad to get the free tacos!

[apaladin]

CBR was beside himself in postgame. Very dissappointed

The last 2 postgames CBR has been very subdued, not his usual rah-rah, we’re good, gonna get better, gonns get it fixed, etc etc. I think he has finally realized this team doesn’t have it and there is nothing he can do to change it. I’m sure he has tried everything but sometimes you just have to face reality. Today’s game was a fitting end to the season which was shoulda, coulda, woulda but didn’t.